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Good Friday (Year: B)

1My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
2O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.
3Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.
4In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.
5They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
6But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
7All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads:
8"He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."
9Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast.
10From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God.
11Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
12Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me.
14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me.
15My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.
16Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.
17I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me.
18They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
19But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
20Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.
23You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
25From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.
26The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him- may your hearts live forever!
27All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,
28for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.
29All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him- those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.
31They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn- for he has done it.
Psalms 22 (NIV)

16"This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds."
17Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."
18And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.
19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
20by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,
21and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:16-25 (NIV)

1When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it.
2Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.
3So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
4Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?"
5"Jesus of Nazareth," they replied.
6"I am he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground.
7Again he asked them, "Who is it you want?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."
8"I told you that I am he," Jesus answered. "If you are looking for me, then let these men go."
9This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: "I have not lost one of those you gave me."
10Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)
11Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"
12Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him
13and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.
14Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people.
15Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard,
16but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in.
17"You are not one of his disciples, are you?" the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, "I am not."
18It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
19Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.
John 18:1-19 (NIV)